Erb

Clarence Michael James Stanislaus Dennis 1876 (Auburn) – 1938 (Melbourne)



Do you know 'Erb?  Now, there's a dinkum sport.
If football's on your mind, why, 'Erb's the sort
To put you wise.  It's his whole end and' aim.
Keen?  He's as keen as mustard on the game.
Football is in his blood.  He thinks an' schemes
All through the season; talks of it an' dreams
An' eats an' sleeps with football on his mind.
Yes: 'Erb's a sport - the reel whole-hearted kind.

'A healthy, manly sport.' That's wot 'Erb says.
You ought to see his form on football days:
Keyed up, reel eager, eyes alight with joy,
Full of wise schemes for his team to employ.
Knows all about it - how to kick a goal,
An' wot to do if they get in a hole.
Enthusiasm?  Why, when 'Erb gets set
He is a sight you couldn't well forget.

There ain't a point about it he don't know
All of the teams and players, top to toe.
The rules, the tricks - it's marvellous the way
He follers - Wot?  Good Lord, no, he don't play.
'Erb?  Playin' football?  Blimey!  have a heart!
Aw, don't be silly.  'Erb don't have to play;
He knows more than them players any day.

He's never had a football in his hand,
'Cept once, when it was kicked up in the stand.
No, 'Erb ain't never played; he only sits
An' watches 'em, an' yells, an' hoots and splits
His sides with givin' mugs some sound advice
An' tellin' umpires things wot ain't too nice.
Aw, look; your ejication ain't complete
Till you know 'Erb.  You reely ought to meet.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

1:26 min read
89

Quick analysis:

Scheme AABBCCDD XXEEFFGG HHIIXII JJKKLLMM
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 1,371
Words 271
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 8, 8, 7, 8

Clarence Michael James Stanislaus Dennis

Clarence Michael James Stanislaus Dennis, better known as C. J. Dennis, was an Australian poet known for his humorous poems, especially "The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke", published in the early 20th century. Though Dennis's work is less well known today, his 1915 publication of The Sentimental Bloke sold 65,000 copies in its first year, and by 1917 he was the most prosperous poet in Australian history. Together with Banjo Paterson and Henry Lawson, both of whom he had collaborated with, he is often considered among Australia's three most famous poets. While attributed to Lawson by 1911, Dennis later claimed he himself was the 'laureate of the larrikin'. When he died at the age of 61, the Prime Minister of Australia Joseph Lyons suggested he was destined to be remembered as the 'Australian Robert Burns'. more…

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